"I'm serious, it was your best work yet!" Dillan tried his best to convince his little sister as she looked up at him with a pouty glare while he helped her with her dark brown hair that had just been cleaned thanks to her attempts of making him breakfast. "Maybe don't cake the kitchen with flour next time, but still it was very good," he assured her with his best fake smile. Emma crossed her arms with a huff and looked away from him. 

"Then why did you hack up a lung the second you took a bite?" she asked with a annoyed mutter. Dillan cringed and held back a nervous chuckle as he tried to get her curly hair out of a knot. 

"Well, um, I just never had that much salt in my pancakes is all," he chuckled nervously, but flinched as he saw her scowl deepen in her mirror and the tension grow in the air. He let out a heavy sigh as he knew he wasn't getting out of the hole he dug for himself. "Look it was a nice gesture Emma, but I said I'd help you learn to cook if you wanted," he said as he finally unraveled her hair and started to put it into a ponytail, though he was forced to stop as she turned to him with the same pointed glare and pouty expression. 

"I can learn myself, just like you did!" she declared with confidence. Dillan arched an eyebrow as he turned her back around and continued with her hair. 

"There's a difference though. I had to learn by myself because no one else showed me, you have me here to help you," he said with a small smile as he finished her ponytail. "Come on, I'll show you a few tips later tonight when my shift ends," he offered as he rose from his knee and looked to his watch. "Come on now, get changed for school and I'll walk ya halfway to school," Dillan walked out to let her change and after a few minutes she emerged in her usual attire. A yellow T-shirt with a green flannel, a pair of tan boxer shorts and dirty sneakers. Dillan raised an eyebrow as he saw a few bandages on her knees and sighed. She must have been getting into trouble again. He kept it to himself though, knowing she was smart enough not to leave the settlement. 

With the same pout on her face Emma avoided eye contact and snatched her stuff before marching out of the house with a huff. Dillan shook his head with a small smirk and followed her out as he pulled on his gloves. The two walked through the streets in silence, Emma making sure to avoid any contact with her brother and Dillan simply trying not to sour her mood even further. Though as a group of guards walked past the two, clearly from the night shift from the tired expressions on their faces Emma's sour look dulled slightly before she glanced over to Dillan. "Will... Will you have to leave because of this whole mess between our settlement and the Water Leafs?" she asked, her pouty look still on her face, but her eyes soften with what only could be called worry. Dillan glanced back to the group of guards before looking back at his sister. A small frown came to his face as he saw the look on her face and sighed. He didn't want to tell her, but he also didn't want to lie. 

"I honestly don't know Em, I hope not, but right now things are kinda hot," he admitted but quickly placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "I promise though, that no matter what happens I'm gonna always come back. Okay?" Emma stared at her brother to see if he was just trying to say what she wanted to hear, but after a few seconds she scoffed and shrugged off his hand from her shoulder as her usual pouty look returned. 

"Well even when you do come back, you'll just make fun of my cooking!" she huffed. Dillan chuckled and patted the top of her head, always amused when she tried to act tough and grown up. 

"I'm heading off now Emma, head to school and have a good day. I'll see ya when I get off," he said before parting ways with Emma as they both reached the town square. Emma sighed as she watched her older brother march off towards his post. She knew he meant what he said, but she couldn't help but feel worried. Before she could linger in her thoughts though she heard her teacher call out to her. She smiled and nodded as she ran towards her. 

"Sorry, I was just walking with my brother," she apologized as she joined the gathered children and awaited for her day to start. 

Meanwhile Dillan marched towards his post with a frown. He hated to see his sister so worried for him, but he knew she was tough for her age. With a groan he cracked his neck and entered his post. A few of his fellow guards greeted him with tired mummers and grunts, Dillan doing the same. He climbed up to a higher point in his post and as he got to the top he saw Lee had already arrived. "Morning," he grunted as he took a seat across from him and rested his M14 on his lap before looking out towards the outside of the settlement. "Ready for another exciting day?" he asked, his sarcasm nearly oozing from his tone as his frown only deepened.